What Now? (A Daryl Dixon Story)
by lilalpha
Summary: Daryl's best friend is taken to foster care in another state when they are teenagers after one night of passion. Ten years later, the apocalypse happens and Daryl's first and only love returns, but with a dark-haired, light-eyed little girl in hand... Can he protect them or will he lose them after just getting them back?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters. All character rights belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC!**

 **This is the first real fan fiction I have ever written. I originally posted it on Wattpad but after discovering the site, I decided to publish it here as well. Be sure to let me know what you guys think, but try not to be too harsh. I'm still learning. Enjoy!**

 **What Now? (A Daryl Dixon Story)**

 **Prologue:**

 **Stormi and Daryl had been around each other their whole lives. Both had been raised in abusive homes, both had lost their mothers young. Stormi had finally been taken away from her father after a final brutal attack. She and Daryl spend one last night together and things turn intimate. Stormi is taken out of state, but she tries to keep in contact with Daryl. Ten years pass and the apocalypse happens. Contact with Daryl suddenly ends. Her phone is useless. Stormi immediately rushes to her hometown to find it gone. She is hell bent on finding Daryl so she strikes out to Atlanta searching, but she is not alone. A ten-year-old little girl with dark hair and light eyes accompanies her. Will they be reunited with Daryl and what will he think of what could possibly be his daughter from one night of passion?**

 **Chapter One:**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **I glanced into the rearview mirror of my black '69 Dodge Charger. The dark, tousled head was barely discernable under the mountain of black fur. I was glad Cheyenne had finally fallen asleep. The poor thing had been so scared she hadn't slept in nearly 24 hours. I was pushing it myself. The only thing keeping me going was the growing pile of empty energy drink cans in the passenger side floorboard. I clicked my tongue and the mountain of black fur gently lifted away from the tiny girl and moved into the front seat. The massive wolf settled himself into the seat next to me. I reached over to rub his enormous head.**

 **"We'll be okay, Mikhail. Won't we, boy?" I asked quietly with lots of love in my tone.**

 **The wolf licked my fingers before pressing his nose to the window. I chuckled and rolled it down for him. I smiled. Mikhail, Cheyenne, and this car were three of the few things I had brought back from Mississippi. I thought back to the day I had left Georgia. The worst thing had been saying bye to him. God, how I had missed Daryl. I had held him tightly as we said our goodbyes. He had been careful of my ribs. A few were broken from my father's drunken rage. I was going to live with a wealthy foster family in Mississippi. We had sworn to each other to keep in contact. I had kissed him for the last time before climbing in the car. I turned to watch him as the car moved away. He had stood watching for a moment, before turning to sprint off into the woods. I knew that was his escape from everything. As I rode, I thought of the night before. We knew our time together was limited and passions had arisen. We had been putting it off, but knowing this night was our last, we had finally come together for the first and only time. I had kept myself distant from everyone for my first month in Mississippi, and in that time, it became known I was pregnant. My 18th birthday passed and I had talked my foster parents into allowing and paying for me to have my last name legally changed to Dixon so that when my child was born, the little girl had taken the name as well. I had named the child Cheyenne and as Chey became older, it had become apparent that she was definitely Daryl's. She had taken his darker hair, though it still had my auburn tints when the sunlight hit it just right. Her beautiful eyes were the clearest blue though when her temper flared, they appeared closer to my bright green. I had purposely kept Chey's existence from Daryl, for my own reasons. I wasn't sure how he would react. Yet, as soon as the apocalypse struck, my foster parents had been taken so I had cleaned out their safe and accounts and loaded up Cheyenne, Mikhail, myself, food and weapons into my prized custom rebuilt Charger and headed straight for my hometown. I had found it burned to the ground, but could tell it was recent for some buildings still blazed. I had heard about the CDC and Atlanta so I had headed straight for it, stopping only once to refill the tank.**

 **They were close now. I could see the buildings in the distance. I topped a hill and immediately slammed on the brakes. The Charger screeched to a stop, waking Cheyenne, and throwing her to the floor.**

 **"Mama!" she cried. She scrambled up to peer between the seats. She was shaken, but unharmed.**

 **"Sorry, baby! I didn't have a choice." I said, reaching back to my little girl. I stared out the windshield. A line of cars stretched almost a mile outside the city. People milled around them. I backed the car up and pulled off onto the grassy side of the highway so we wouldn't be boxed in. I reached in between the front seats and pulled out my 9mm pistol. I loaded it and turned to Cheyenne. "Okay, baby girl. Now, I want you to stay here with Mikhail. Keep the doors locked an' the windows shut. Mama's gonna walk ahead a lil' bit an' see if I can find out what's going on. Okay?" I said calmly, looking Cheyenne right in the eyes.**

 **Cheyenne squared her jaw. "Yes'm." she said.**

 **I smiled and kissed her forehead. "That's my lil' warrior. Now there is another pistol in the glovebox. You 'member how t' do it?" I asked.**

 **Cheyenne nodded. She had been raised with my love of all weapons and was skilled in many for her young age.**

 **I smiled. "Good girl." I stepped out of the car. I tucked the handgun in the back of my belt, pulling my sleeveless plaid button up down over it. I looked at Mikhail. "Mikhail, Guard!" I said authoritatively. His whole body tensed up and he sat up, ears and eyes alert. I locked the doors and blew Cheyenne a kiss before shutting my door and making my way down the line of cars. I moved towards the crowd of people further down. I was so intent on the crowd, I wasn't paying attention when the door of an old blue Ford F-150 swung open and a tall, broad guy dropped out of it right in front of me. I walked straight into him. It knocked me backwards and off balance. The only thing that kept me off the ground was my quick reflexes. I caught the side of the bed of his truck to right myself.**

 **"Won't ye' watch where the hell you're going, woman!" a gruff, irritable voice demanded.**

 **The voice caused my blood to run cold in my veins. I righted myself and pushed my hair back out of my face. I looked at the scowling redneck before me. "Nice to see you again, too, Daryl." I said sarcastically, even though I was staring at him as if he was a ghost.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters. All character rights belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC!**

 **This is the first real fan fiction I have ever written. I originally posted it on Wattpad but after discovering the site, I decided to publish it here as well. Be sure to let me know what you guys think, but try not to be too harsh. I'm still learning. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Two:**

 **Daryl's POV**

 **I sat in my truck for hours, waiting for the line to move. The broadcasts on the radio had stopped a while back. People were steadily walking past my truck. I could hear them steadily trying figure out what was going on. Merle had taken off on his bike as we left our hometown and I hadn't seen him since. I got bored so I cranked my Motorhead CD a little bit louder and threw my booted feet up on my dash. I began cleaning the stumps of my chewed-on nails with my hunting knife. After a while though, I turned the key over for a bit so my damn battery wouldn't die on me. I let it run for a minute, the old motor roaring until I shut it all off. I waited about another half hour before I finally shoved my knife back in its sheath at my hip. I threw my door open and dropped to my feet outside just as some broad plowed into me. She was small and the impact almost knocked her over. She caught the side of my truck so she wouldn't fall. My first glimpse of her, she wasn't too bad on the eyes. She was just a few inches shorter than me. She was really slender but her frame was hardened into lean muscle. She was full chested and had just the right amount of curviness in her hips and ass. She had on skintight dark blue jeans, brown cowboy boots, a white tank top that showed of her tight flat stomach, and an open sleeveless blue plaid button up. She was tanned up like she spent all her time outside like me. I couldn't see her face past the dark thick auburn waves that had fallen in her face.**

 **"Won't ye' watch where the hell you're going, woman?" I growled at her. She had been off in Lala-land when she run into me. She froze when I spoke.**

 **"Nice to see you again, too, Daryl." she said sarcastically. She straightened and pushed all that hair out of her face, revealing the most beautiful green eyes set in a face that had haunted my dreams for ten years. My stomach plummeted and my heart leapt into my throat, choking me. I tried to keep looking calm but I knew I was just as dumbstruck as she looked.**

 **"Stormi? Naw, I got to be seein' thangs, now." I rubbed my eyes hard, but when I opened them, she was still standing there. I couldn't control my actions as I reached out and dragged her tiny frame up against my large one. She didn't resist, even threw her arms around my neck. I couldn't believe she was here. I stepped back and held her at arm's length, looking her over. "What are ya doin' here? I thought you were in Mississippi?" I asked her.**

 **"When everything went to shit, you were my first thought. Came straight home. Found it burnin'. Been hearin' 'bout Atlanta on the radio 'til it quit so I headed here. I…." she was cut off as an explosion shook the ground under our feet. Screams erupted behind me and the blood drained from her face as she stared over my shoulder.**

 **I turned to look. Planes were dropping napalm on the city. People were screaming and panicking as they ran away from the city. Gunfire ripped through those closest to the city gates. I swore as I saw my truck was still blocked in.**

 **"Grab what ya can an' come on." She ordered, grabbing the bags of food from the bed of my truck.**

 **I reached in the cab and grabbed my Horton Scout HD 125 crossbow and both full quivers. I snatched my rucksack of the seat and the 12-guage out of the gunrack. I slammed my door and patted the side of my old truck. It had been faithful for many years and I hated to see it go, but I turned and followed Stormi as she ran. She reached the end of the line and cut to her left. She slid to a stop.**

 **"Shit. Daryl, I need to tell you somethin'. I ain't alone." she said, looking extremely nervous. She was clearly very uncomfortable.**

 **"I'll meet them in the car. Let's go!" I exclaimed. I kept running.**

 **She hollered something I didn't catch but the truck popped open on a car that took my breath away. If this was any normal day, I might have stopped to drool over this fine ass mint-condition, shiny black '69 Charger. As it was, I threw my stuff in her trunk. She slammed it shut and ran to jump in the driver's side. I reached the passenger side as she unlocked it. I opened the door and caught the hind end of something, huge, black, and furry disappearing into the backseat. I didn't bother to look as I ducked inside and shut the door. She turned the key and gunned it, slinging the car around Dukes of Hazzard style and tearing back the way she had come. Once my adrenaline wore off, I all but melted at the growl of the engine.**

 **I turned to look at her. She had a white knuckled grip on the steering wheel. I opened my mouth but before I could say a word, a little hand reached out of the back seat and rested on her shoulder. She visibly relaxed and the car slowed from its breakneck speed. I turned to look at the kid and my mouth went dry. The kid couldn't have been more than 9 or 10. She was small but toned, like Stormi and definitely resembled Stormi, but what drew my attention was that dark messy hair and big blue eyes. She was staring at me, but hadn't said a word. One hand rested on Stormi's shoulder while the other arm was wrapped around the neck of a huge black wolf that didn't look the friendliest.**

 **I looked out the back glass. We had left the city well behind by now. I looked back at Stormi.**

 **"Okay, we're clear. Pull over 'fore someone gets hurt. 'Sides that, I think' we need to talk." I said sternly. I glanced back at the kid. She was still watching me. I had this weird feeling deep down in my gut. What scared me even more was the fact that I wasn't sure whether I wanted to be right or not.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters. All character rights belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC!**

 **This is the first real fan fiction I have ever written. I originally posted it on Wattpad but after discovering the site, I decided to publish it here as well. Be sure to let me know what you guys think, but try not to be too harsh. I'm still learning. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Three.**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **I sighed and pulled over onto the shoulder carefully. I shifted into neutral and snatched the emergency brake handle up. I took a deep, shuddering breath. I kept my grip on the steering wheel with both hands to hide their shaking. The inevitable moment had come. I had avoided it as long as possible and there was nowhere I could run now.**

 **"I gotta use the bathroom, Mama." came Cheyenne's little voice from the back seat. I looked in the rearview mirror and her big blue eyes pleaded with me. I nodded and got out. She crawled out. Mikhail followed her out. He ran to piss on my rear tire then came back to my feet.**

 **Cheyenne went to the back of the car. I pointed after her. "Mikhail, guard." he went to the back and paced back and forth close to her, alert for any signs of harm. I sat back down but left my door open.**

 **Daryl turned to look at me. "I don't even know where t' begin, Stormi, but I NEED t' know one thing." he swallowed hard and took a deep breath as if he really didn't want to ask this question, but knew he had to. "Who's is she, Stormi?" he finally choked out.**

 **I took a deep breath and finally looked him right in the eyes. "She's yours, Daryl." I finally admitted.**

 **Daryl's POV**

 **I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I couldn't seem to get a decent breath. That pretty little girl outside was mine? I had been a father for ten years and never even known? Which brought home another point...**

 **"Why didn't ya tell me?! All those times we talked?! Why hide m' kid from me?!" I demanded, bordering on rage.**

 **She looked on the verge of tears and that alone melted my anger in an instant.**

 **"I didn't tell ya 'cause I didn't know how ye'd react. I took care of her on my own 'cause I didn't want ya to be burdened or you to feel dragged down. You seemed so mad when I left. I didn't want to make things worse." She said. Tears began flowing down her cheeks.**

 **I chewed at my nails. I was torn. I wanted to be upset that she had kept all this from me, yet I hated seeing her this way. I knew from experience that it took a hell of a lot to make Stormi cry. I couldn't believe she had shouldered the full responsibility of raising a child alone so that I wouldn't be bothered. Granted, back then, I may not have been willing to step into that place, especially after seeing how both mine and Stormi's fathers had been, but I still wouldn't have bitched or turned a cold shoulder. And be damned if I was gonna do it now. I squared my jaw.**

 **"So, does she know who I am?" I asked. Even if I didn't know my own daughter, maybe my kid at least knew me. She nodded at me. I blew out in a rush. I glanced in the door mirror on my side. The kid was playing with the huge wolf. She was laughing as if she hadn't a care in the world, but she never moved more than a few feet from the car and the wolf always stayed alert, freezing every few minutes to sniff the air and look around with his ears pricked up. Then he would play for a few moments more. "What's her name? Full name?" I asked.**

 **"Cheyenne Trinity Dixon." she replied.**

 **I frowned. "How's she a Dixon if you're a Blackwood?" I asked.**

 **She blushed and I looked at her bewildered. She looked at me. "I had my name changed while I was pregnant. You think I'd really wanna keep that bastard's name?" Her face hardened as she mentioned her father.**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **"She's yours, Daryl." I blurted. I didn't know why it had come out so blunt. I hadn't meant for it to. I watched him. He wore an expression as if I had hit him with a Taser. He gaped like a fish for a moment before his expression went hard.**

 **"Why didn't ya tell me?! All those times we talked?! Why hide m' kid from me?!" he exploded.**

 **Tears sprung unbidden to my eyes, threatening to spill over. I couldn't hold it back anymore. His expression immediately softened. I explained why I did it. The tears flowed hotly down my face as I finished.**

 **He began chewing at his nails. He had always had that nervous habit and it had passed on to Cheyenne. He appeared to be deep in thought for a bit. I remained quiet giving him all the time he needed. I wiped at my face. He finally blew out a gush of air and I saw that all too familiar squaring of his jaw.**

 **"Does she know who I am?" he asked. He seemed to be considering something and kept glancing back at Chey in his mirror. I nodded. He blew out in a gush again and glanced at her again. I glanced back as well to see her playing with Mikhail even though she didn't stray far. Mikhail stopped periodically to scan for threats. He asked her full name.**

 **"Cheyenne Trinity Dixon." I answered. He looked at me bewildered.**

 **"How's she a Dixon if you're a Blackwood?" he asked. My face turned red when I realized I had never told him of changing my name. He looked at me strangely again so I explained how I had changed my name so that I no longer held my abusive, bastard father's name. God, how I had hated that man. Daryl sat silent for a few more minutes.**

 **"I wanna talk to her." he said. I nodded and he got out of the car. I followed.**

 **She was sitting with her back against Mikhail. He lay on his stomach until Daryl approached. He growled low. "Mikhail! Heel!" I commanded sharply and he went silent, though keeping an eye on Daryl. Daryl squatted down in front of Chey. She stared at him silently with her big blue eyes.**

 **"Hey, Cheyenne. Do you know who I am?" he asked her. I watched quietly.**

 **She nodded. "You're my daddy. Daryl Dixon. Mama talked 'bout you all the time. Kept pictures of ya, too." she replied solemnly. She watched him quietly.**

 **Daryl rubbed a hand across his lower jaw. "Well, I'm glad to know she did that, but I don't know much 'bout you. Your mama had her reasons an' I understand why. So why don't you tell me a lil' bit 'bout yourself?" he asked. He sat cross-legged in front of her, mimicking her position by leaning against the car.**

 **Her face broke into that adorably crooked little half-smile I loved so much. "My name is Cheyenne Trinity Dixon, but sometimes Mama calls me Chey. I'm ten years old. Jus' had my birthday las' month. I'm in fourth grade, or least I was til people started goin' crazy an' tryin' to eat each other. I like to hunt, fish, camp, and help Mama fix thangs. I know how to shoot just 'bout anything and I know to skin fish and deer. I like to play outside a lot, but sometimes I like to stay inside an' read or draw." she was rattling on, but I could see the corner of Daryl's mouth lift in a mirror image of her smile.**

 **They were so alike, even though they had never met. They kept talking and getting to know each other as I popped the trunk and dug around for something to eat. It would be dark soon, so I needed to find a place to spend the night. We were back close to our hometown now and I knew there was no shelter in the burned-out husk of the small town. I racked my brains as I tried to remember the lay of the land. It had been ten years since I had been to Georgia. I had never gone back even when I found out a few years back that Daddy had drunk himself to death. Mama was long gone in a car accident when I was about five. I found some sandwiches stowed away in my cooler. There was plenty for everyone to have one, including Chey and Daryl's favorite of PB &J. I grabbed a few and some sodas. I juggled the sandwiches, sodas and a bowl of dogfood as I shut the trunk and joined them. They were discussing crossbows as I sat down.**

 **"I got a Horton Scout HD 125." he was saying. "Wow! That thin' retails for like $300 and I read that they are amazingly accurate!" she exclaimed with wide impressed eyes. He chuckled. "I ain't never missed nothin' yet wit' it. Maybe tomorrow you can shoot it. If ya Mama don't mind." he glanced at me. She turned to me with pleading eyes. I smiled lovingly back at her. "It's ya daddy's crossbow. His call." I said, glancing back at him. Her face lit up and Daryl and I both chuckled warmly. We all settled down to eat. I couldn't help but notice the seemingly peaceful atmosphere. This almost felt like a normal family picnic, but not for long.**

 **We had all finished eating and I lit up a Marlboro Red. I knew it was a nasty habit, but I hadn't been smoking long and it hadn't had any adverse effects so far. Daryl bummed one from me, saying his had been left on the dash of his truck. We were simply relaxing for a moment when Mikhail, who had been laying quietly off to the side, suddenly got up and started snarling and growling in the direction we had just came from Atlanta. We turned to look just as moans and human growls reached our ears. Dozens of figures suddenly topped the rise about a hundred yards from us. Cheyenne screamed and Mikhail let out a rapid series of barks. Daryl and I leapt to our feet.**

 **"Cheyenne, run! Get in the car!" Daryl yelled, pulling Chey to her feet and steering her in the right direction. "Mikhail! Car!" I yelled at the same time. They both took off at the same time. The doors were still open so they dove inside. I slammed my trunk shut and Daryl and I slid in simultaneously and slammed the doors. I started the car and threw it in gear, stomping the gas and shifting like a bat out of hell as Chey scrambled for her seatbelt. I heard the click of the buckle latch and heard her crying softly. I opened my mouth, but before I could sooth her, Daryl had spun in his seat.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters. All character rights belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC!**

 **This is the first real fan fiction I have ever written. I originally posted it on Wattpad but after discovering the site, I decided to publish it here as well. Be sure to let me know what you guys think, but try not to be too harsh. I'm still learning. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Four**

 **Daryl's POV**

 **I had been enjoying my conversation with Chey. I had never seen my child before today, but just the words spilling from her mouth told me she was my kid, alright. We were so alike it scared me. Stormi appeared with food as we were talking crossbows. She seemed so impressed and excited about my Scout. I told her she could shoot it if her mama was okay with it. When Stormi looked at her and simply said it was Daddy's call, my heart seemed to leap into my throat. She had lit up like the Fourth of July and my heart swelled up in my chest.**

 **I barely knew this little girl...my little girl...but I knew I loved her already. Just as I knew I still loved her mama. I had to admit, even if not aloud that I was kinda proud and smug that they both carried my last name. Lord knows how many times I had thought of giving Stormi my last name before she was taken away from me.**

 **Things were quiet as we ate. That silence was broken when the wolf had jumped up throwing a fit. I snapped around to look and my heart stopped as dozens of geeks topped the hill. I heard my daughter scream and it brought me to my senses. It seemed to do the same to Stormi cause we both hit our feet. I pulled Cheyenne to her feet and pushed her towards the car. She took off. Stormi yelled at Mikhail and he tore off after Cheyenne. They both dove into the back seat with Stormi and I hot on their heels. She slammed the trunk down as we passed it. Both doors slammed and she tore out, slinging gravel from the shoulder of the road. She was driving recklessly, but handled this beast of a car like a pro. I heard Cheyenne put on her seatbelt and heard her crying. Stormi opened her mouth but I had already twisted around to grab Chey's hand.**

 **"Hey, baby girl, it's okay. You're safe. Mama and I ain't gon' let nothin' happen to ya. I promise. Everythin's gon' be okay." I soothed her as best I could. I was never good with kids, but be damned if I wasn't gonna try. I couldn't bear her crying any more than I could handle her mama's.**

 **She sniffed and gripped my hand in one of hers as she dried her eyes with the other. She looked at me with those big blue eyes that I felt I would never be able to deny. I frowned in my head. When the hell had I become such a sap? Daryl Dixon had never been soft. Yet, I found myself melting over that small hand in mine. Was this what it was meant to be like as a father? Mine had never been this way, and I knew from experience that Stormi's hadn't been either. We had patched each other up often enough to know better. I vowed right then and there to be a better father than mine had ever been towards me and Merle.**

 **I groaned internally as Merle came to mind. I wondered what had happened to him and I could only imagine his reaction when he found out about this. He was gonna have a field day.**

 **I turned to Stormi. She was looking for a place to pass the night. I pondered for a moment before it hit me. "What 'bout Ol' Man Lawson's ol' huntin' cabin? It's got room and it's solid. It ain't far. He always kept it stocked 'cause he hunted every weekend." I suggested. She seemed to consider it before nodding. She turned down a dirt road then a couple miles later pulled up an old trail. It opened out into a huge clearing. The old log cabin sat in the center. It seemed almost deserted until I noticed the old motorcycle sitting near the front steps. I knew the Charger's growling motor echoed in the open clearing so he had to know someone was outside. Sure enough, soon as she cut the car off, the door of the cabin flew open and out stepped Merle. He was tall but kinda heavyset. He had really let himself go the last few years, falling bad into drugs and liquor. He was wearing jeans and a button up open over a dirty white wife-beater. He held a shotgun aimed at the car.**

 **"This here place is taken so ye' just get the hell on outta here, now." he hollered from the doorway. I knew he was crazy enough to fire at the car so I quickly popped the door open.**

 **"Merle, put tha' damn thang away 'fore ya hurt yourself or somebody." I snapped.**

 **He lowered the gun. "Well, now. Looks like baby brother done foun' hisself a sweet new ride. But who ye' got there wit' ya?" he asked. He sounded like he had been drinking again which didn't surprise me. I motioned for Stormi to get out and she motioned for Chey and Mikhail to wait as she opened her door and stood up. She leaned her arm on the top of the car although I knew her other hand was on the handgun at her lower back. I knew she was a quick draw, but I hoped she didn't have to be.**

 **Merle squinted at her before recognition bloomed in his red eyes. "Well I be damned. That's a face I ain't seen in a damn coon's age. Last I heard, you run off." he sneered.**

 **She curled her lip. "I ain't run off. I got taken away." she snarled, which made him laugh.**

 **He put the gun back inside the doorway. "Well, y'all c'mon in. No sense standin' 'round with them geeks on the loose." he smirked**

 **She gave me a nervous glance. I nodded at her and braced myself. She took a deep breath and stepped back. Cheyenne crawled out of her side followed closely by Mikhail. The wolf all but pressed against Chey as Stormi and I shut the doors. We all moved to the front of the car. I knew the moment the sight of Cheyenne hit him.**

 **His eyes went wide and his eyebrows shot up as his mouth hung open. His eyes went from her to me to Stormi then back to me. I just nodded at him. He looked dumbstruck but moved back out of our way as we all entered the cabin.**

 **He started to shut Mikhail out but I slammed my hand against the door and called the big brute inside. He automatically took up a post at the foot of the chair Cheyenne sat in. Stormi hovered behind her, tensed tight as my bowstring. I saw her watching Merle warily and saw her fingers twitch. I knew she hated Merle, but there was nothing I could do besides attempt to control him.**

 **Merle sat in another chair facing us as I moved to Stormi's side. "Somethin' ya need to tell me, baby brother?" he asked. He kept glancing at each of us.**

 **"She's my daughter. And don't go flyin' off th' handle. I just found out myself." I answered.**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **I was against the place as soon as I saw the bike in front. It was emphasized as soon as Merle Dixon stepped out the door with a shotgun pointed at my car, yet before I had time to object, Daryl had confronted him. He motioned me out and I made sure Cheyenne stayed put before stepping out. From their exchange, I could already tell Merle was drunk which made me trust him even less. He called us in and Daryl agreed and I ducked my head inside my car. I called Chey and Mikhail out, being sure to order Mikhail to guard her as I did. They got out and I was glad to see him stick close to her as we shut my doors and I locked them. As we reached the front of my car, Merle spotted Cheyenne and I saw him put two and two together surprisingly quick.**

 **We got inside and Cheyenne went straight to a chair. Merle tried to lock Mikhail out but before I could protest, Daryl intervened. He let him in and Mikhail lay at Chey's feet. I stood next behind her, alert to any sudden or wrong moves from Merle. He tried anything, I was putting a bullet in him. Might not kill him, but he wouldn't be trying nothing else. Daryl stepped up next me and put a hand on Chey's shoulder. She reached up to clasp his hand.**

 **"Somethin' ya need to tell me, baby brother?" asked Merle as he sat down and glanced at each of us.**

 **Daryl quickly claimed Chey and deflected Merle's next question by admitting he hadn't known about her til today. Merle pursed his lips and glared at me. I returned it happily. "I had m' reasons. Now, we need some sleep so if y'all would excuse us, we're gonna go rest." I sneered at Merle. I didn't wait for a reply, but pulled Chey to her feet and led her to one of the two small bedrooms. Mikhail followed closely on our heels. I shut the door. Chey and I kicked off our shoes and I lay my gun and knife on the bedside table. Mikhail curled up on the floor at the foot of the bed as Chey and I climbed into the big bed and curled up under the blankets. I switched of the lamp and within minutes, Chey was snoring softly with her back against my chest. I was nearly asleep when I heard the door open, close, and lock softly. Mikhail started to growl but promptly quit. That was strange for him. I tensed before hearing a knife and belt hit the floor followed by soft curse as the person stumbled into the end of the bed. A moment later, a warm body slid into the other side of the bed.**

 **"It's just me." I heard Daryl whisper softly. He scooted close and threw an arm across us. Chey snuggled closer up against him without even waking up. I smiled as he bent his head to gently kiss the top of hers. I closed my eyes and was drifting off again when I felt slightly rough lips gently touch mine. My eyes flew open and found myself looking into Daryl's blue ones. He watched me. I found myself smiling and I leaned in for another. He smiled and returned it before pulling away and laying his head down. He pulled us both closer and we drifted off to sleep with our daughter nestled between us.**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **I awoke the next morning to bright sunshine filtering in the small window. I turned to reach for Cheyenne and only encountered cold sheets. I bolted upright. I scanned the room. Her shoes were no longer near the door and Mikhail was not curled at the end of the bed.**

 **I flew out of the bed and shoved my feet off into my boots. I grabbed my knife and gun off the bedside table and shoved them in my belt before running out of the room. The cabin was empty so I never slowed as I headed out the front door. As I hit the steps, the light outside blinded me momentarily. I stopped to let my eyes adjust. Voices reached my ears as my eyes took in my car. It appeared untouched, yet as I turned towards the voices, I saw Daryl and Cheyenne. She was holding Daryl's bow so I knew they had been in my trunk, then I spotted my keys glittering at Daryl's hip. I relaxed, knowing she was safe. Daryl would never allow anything to happen to her. I walked towards them.**

 **Cheyenne was holding Daryl's crossbow, aiming at a row of cans sitting on a table brought from inside. The bow was too long for her, yet she was trying with all her little heart. Daryl was giving her a chance, yet he hovered with an adorable smirk on his face, watching if she needed help. She struggled for a moment, but finally leveled the large weapon and squeezed the trigger. My heart swelled with pride as the arrow sailed straight and true, burying itself dead center in the middle can. She beamed and gently placed the bow on the ground. She then turned to run and throw her tiny arms around her dad's waist. He broke into a rare grin and knelt to wrap his arms around her, congratulating her eagerly.**

 **I laughed and clapped. They turned to look at me. Cheyenne grinned again and ran at me. I bent and caught her around the waist, lifting and swinging her around. She burst into excited giggles as I spun her. I finally placed her on her feet so she could catch her breath. I jumped as a hand touched my shoulder. I reacted on instinct, throwing my elbow back into the ribs of the person who grabbed me. I heard a grunt and a whoosh of released breath. I spun to look and found Daryl doubled over.**

 **"Holy shit! I'm so sorry, Daryl! I didn't mean to hurt you. It was a knee-jerk reaction." I exclaimed. I wasn't sure what to do. Cheyenne had her hands over her face, peeking through her fingers.**

 **Daryl's POV**

 **Stormi had been sleeping so peacefully that I couldn't bear to wake her. I waited for Cheyenne to wake up then took her outside. Merle was nowhere to be found. Even his bike was gone. I had picked up Stormi's keys and popped her trunk. I grabbed my Horton Scout HD 125 and a full quiver. I shut the trunk and hooked the keys to my belt loop. I brought out an end table from inside the cabin and found some scattered beer cans Merle had thrown around. I had Cheyenne set them up in a row. She did and came back to stand beside me. I handed her my bow and showed her how to properly load and hold it. She wanted to try on her own so I stepped back and let her try. She had to plant her foot in the curve and pull with all her might to draw the string back. I tried to help but her little hands pushed mine away and I chuckled.**

 **That small gesture reminded me of teaching her mama how to do this very same activity. Stormi had been learning on her favorite compound bow, though. She still had the same old bow, too. I had seen in in the trunk along with a smaller youth compound bow that had to be Cheyenne's. Stormi had been struggling to draw the string back and refused my help in a huff. She had finally gotten the hang of it, and soon was the most accurate shot he had known other than himself.**

 **Cheyenne finally got the string to latch and notched the arrow. She lifted the Scout, struggling a little under its weight and length. I hovered but she was determined to get it. I smirked. She had both mine and Stormi's determination and then some. She finally managed to shift it just right and it steadied and leveled out. She took a slow deep breath, just like Stormi always did before taking a shot, before squeezing the trigger. The arrow sailed clean and true, it sunk into the center of the front can. She put the bow down and ran up to hug me. She was estactic and so proud of herself. I sank to my knees and wrapped my arms around her. I felt my face pull into a rare grin. "Very good! Nice shot! I'm very proud of you. Perfect form, Darlin'." I congratulated her.**

 **I heard a very familiar light laugh and applause. We both turned to see Stormi standing there. I hadn't even noticed her approach, yet she had always had a feather light tread. She had a lot of Native American blood on her Mama's side, which had always made her an excellent hunting partner.**

 **Cheyenne grinned and took off running. Stormi caught her and swung her around in circle, which caused Cheyenne to giggle uncontrollably. Stormi finally placed Cheyenne on her feet. Cheyenne attempted to catch her breath. I approached, but Stormi's back was to me. I put my hand on her shoulder and instantly regretted it as I realized I had caught her off guard. She jumped and next thing I knew, her elbow slammed into my ribs hard enough to knock the wind outta me. I doubled over, clutching my ribs, and struggling to draw a breath. I heard Chey gasp and she clapped her hands over her face, peeking through her fingers.**

 **"Holy shit! I'm so sorry, Daryl! I didn't mean to hurt you. It was a knee-jerk reaction." Stormi exclaimed.**

 **I finally managed to draw a breath. "It's a'ight. I shoulda said somethin' instead of sneaking up on ya. I knew better." I wheezed. Damn, she got a hell of a lick on me. My ribs were definitely bruised. I was lucky none were cracked from that blow. She was a lot stronger than I remembered.**

 **I straightened up and she was biting at her lip, which she did when she got worried. Her fingers were playing with something hanging from a chain around her neck. I reached towards her and she stiffened. It was so slight, almost unnoticeable, but I caught it. I pulled the object out of her fingers. What I found surprised me. My class ring from high school dangled between my fingers. I remembered slipping it on her hand as we said goodbye before the social worker took her away ten years ago. I smiled and released it before reaching into my back pocket and pulled out my wallet. I opened it to the bills compartment and pulled out a tiny silver ring set with a small yellowish orange stone and engraved with our school and her first name.**

 **Her eyes lit up and she grinned. Before I knew it, she was in my arms so suddenly I dropped the little ring. Cheyenne dove to pick it up as I wrapped my arms around Stormi. Her face was buried in my chest and mine was pressed into her hair. I pulled her chin up and pressed my lips to hers. It was short lived, however, because we both busted out laughing at Cheyenne's loudly expressed, "Ew!"**

 **I reached over to ruffle her hair. She swatted my hand away and handed me the ring. I chuckled.**

 **Branches cracked and brush rustled off to one side and I dove for my crossbow as Stormi drew her pistol. Cheyenne quickly hid behind Stormi as I snatched my bow up and loaded it. The sound drew closer and closer until brush at the very edge of the clearing parted and Mikhail stepped through with a huge rabbit in his mouth.**

 **Stormi relaxed and began swearing colorfully at the huge black wolf. He hunkered down on his belly and thumped his tail once. What he did next I had only ever seen wolves do to an Alpha. He crawled forward on his belly and laid the rabbit at her feet and rolled to show her his belly. She scolded him some more but reached down to retrieve the rabbit. He flipped to his feet and gave her the craziest wolf grin ever.**

 **I laughed and we all headed inside for breakfast. We had a very filling meal of eggs, bacon, and biscuits. We were sitting around laughing and joking when I heard the rip of Merle's bike. We all froze when it didn't shut off.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters. All character rights belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC!**

 **This is the first real fan fiction I have ever written. I originally posted it on Wattpad but after discovering the site, I decided to publish it here as well. Be sure to let me know what you guys think, but try not to be too harsh. I'm still learning. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Five:**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **My smile slipped into a scowl when I heard the bike flying up the path. My scowl deepened when the bike did not immediately shut off. The roar of that stupid bike echoed deafeningly in this clearing. That bastard was gonna bring every geek for miles down on our heads. I stood and noticed Daryl did the same.**

 **"Chey, stay here with Mikhail." I said as she began rising to follow us. She sat back down and hugged Mikhail's neck with a worried look. I kissed the top of her head.**

 **I turned and headed for the front door with Daryl at my heels. I was gonna give Merle Dixon the piece of my mind he deserved. I had never cared for Merle and now he was endangering all of our lives even more.**

 **We had just entered the living room when the door flew open and slammed against the wall, revealing a panting Merle. Mikhail flew past me with a vicious snarl. I stopped him with a sharp command. He stood stiffly between me and Merle. I could still hear the bike so I opened my mouth angrily to berate him. My rant died on my lips at the look of panic on his face. My stomach plummeted.**

 **"Wha's wrong, Merle?" Daryl asked, stepping closer to me.**

 **"Git yer stuff. Grab ever'thin' useful. We gotta git outta here now! Them damn geeks is headin' this'a way. A whole herd of 'em." he panted.**

 **I never hesitated as I spun back towards the kitchen. When I reached it, Cheyenne was already loading all the food that wouldn't spoil into Merle's empty beer boxes. I sent her to take them to the car, feeling a brief moment of pride at her efficiency.**

 **The guys were gathering weapons and ammo from the safe. I ran to the room we had slept in and double checked that nothing had been left behind. We scoured the cabin in less than ten minutes.**

 **We finished loading everything that wouldn't fit on Merle's bike into my trunk and backseat. Chey and Mikhail were just scrambling into the backseat when the sounds of hundreds of snarls and moans reached our ears even over the roar of the still idling motorcycle. Our heads snapped up as geeks broke away from the tree line on three sides of us. I looked to Daryl worriedly.**

 **Daryl's POV**

 **I saw Stormi's worried look. She was really chewing her lip now. I wanted to say something, anything, to ease her mind, but things looked pretty bad right now. We jumped in just as Merle straddled the bike.**

 **"Let's go!" He hollered, slinging the bike around with rooster tails of dirt and grass flying. Stormi followed suit in the Charger. She followed the bike closely all the way back out onto the main highway. They both headed back towards Atlanta, meaning to go around.**

 **We topped the hill we had fled yesterday, now clear of most geeks. A small handful still milled around, spread wide. She pulled past the now much shorter line of cars when I asked her to stop. She reluctantly complied. She tapped the horn one time, bringing Merle to a stop. He turned back, cursing and asking why the hell we were stopping.**

 **"I'm gettin' my damn truck!" I snapped, climbing out. People fleeing the napalm had returned to their cars or joined others, clearing enough vehicles that I could finally get my old blue truck out. I had spotted it on the fly. Who knows when we might need an additional vehicle and besides, it had been my very first truck I earned and fixed myself.**

 **Stormi looked heartbroken to separate from me, but I kissed her softly and assured her that I would be close to her at all times.**

 **"Daddy, please don't leave..." Chey called from the backseat. I bent to see her peering through the seats.**

 **"I'm no' leavin', Darlin'. I'm just gettin' my truck from where I left it. I'll be drivin' righ' wit' you an' ya mama. Hey, one day, I migh' even teach ya how t' drive that old bucket of bolts." I told her with a smile. She reluctantly returned it.**

 **I kissed Stormi one last time and crushed her small frame against me.**

 **"Be careful, Daryl Dixon. I ain't losing you again...," she ordered.**

 **"I promise." I said. I stepped away to reach in and squeeze Chey's small hand before grabbing my stuff from Stormi's trunk and running to throw it all in my truck.**

 **I hopped in the driver seat and prayed it would start. Thankfully it did. Before I could pull the door shut, however, a mountain of black fur came flying through it and across me. I cursed before realizing it was just Mikhail. That damned wolf spun once before planting his butt in the passenger seat as if he owned the damn thing. I cursed again and slammed the door. I threw the truck in reverse and maneuvered the big Ford beast out of the broken lines and pulled alongside Stormi waiting behind the wheel of her Charger.**

 **"This your idea?" I said, jerking my thumb at the furry monster, who just huffed at me impatiently.**

 **She laughed. "Nope. Chey's." she said matter-of-factly.**

 **I could hear the giggles from the backseat. "Well, alrigh', then. Let's get after it, then."**

 **I waved at Merle who spun the bike around and tore out. I fell in line behind him with Stormi hot on my tail. That crazy wolf started butting his head against the window until I finally swore and reached across him. I fought to keep the wheel straight while straining to crank it down a little for him. He stuck his nose out when I got it almost halfway down. I shook my head at him. I checked my rearview mirror and saw Stormi falling behind. I started to slow a little to let her catch up. And that's when my heart dropped into my stomach and everything went to shit.**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **I could see Daryl leaned over to struggle with the truck window. He must have been pressing the gas more than he meant to, because he started pulling more and more ahead of me. I sped up a little too as I saw him straighten and Mikhail's nose come out of the window. He was still a little too far ahead so I tried to speed up a little more. I heard Cheyenne scream as a herd of geeks suddenly rushed out of a side road and began colliding with my car and a few collided with my front grill. Blood, brains, and guts splattered my windshield, momentarily blinding me. I slammed the brakes, sliding and skidding into more of them. I could hear Chey sobbing in fear as the geeks began beating their hands and heads against my windows. My wiper blades cleared just enough gore for a small window of visibility. I could see another small, clear road ahead of me. I was worried about Daryl but I made a split-second decision and gunned it for the road. The Charger roared and shot forward, catching the gravel and fishtailing. I got a split-second glimpse of Daryl hitting his brakes. I heard his horn and saw Merle slow and half of the geeks turned towards him. I still had some on my tail so I had to keep moving...**

 **I prayed Daryl wouldn't do anything stupid until I could find my way back out to the main road...**

 **Daryl's POV**

 **Stormi hit the geeks hard. I could see bodies and pieces flying. She slid sideways to a stop and sat there for a long moment. I slammed my brakes. The wolf yelped as he was thrown to the floorboard. He scrambled back to the seat and started barking and snarling, trying to claw his way out of my window. The geeks had blocked the Charger from my sight and I was terrified that something had happened to my girls. I came to a stop finally and started laying on my horn, trying to draw the geeks away from the car. Just as I laid on the horn, I heard that damn Charger's motor start roaring and it shot forward out of the crowd and onto a small dirt road. Half the geeks turned my way, the other half barreled after her as fast as they could. I knew she was ok, but there was no way I could get to her. I knew the road she took though. I revved at Merle who had stopped. I pulled past him before the geeks reached me and hollered at him to follow me. He glanced back and gunned the bike after me without a moment's hesitation. About ten minutes later, I slung my truck sideways into the other end of that side road. Merle stayed right on my bumper. I followed the road closely and prayed she hadn't made a wrong turn where the dirt turned into a paved four-way.**

 **When I reached the four-way, the Charger was nowhere to be found. The dirt road was to my left and I could see dirt marks on the pavement where she had jumped straight across. I cursed and swore up and down and turned to follow. The dirt tracks soon ended though, and after twenty minutes of breakneck flying, I realized she must have turned somewhere along this road. I decide to cruise the roads a while, looking. After four hours of searching with no result, Merle and I found ourselves back on the main highway. We were forced to stop at a little mom-n-pop store that miraculously still had gas in the reserves. We broke in and got the pumps working then filled my truck and the bike along with a few gas cans in the bed of my truck. I snapped at Merle when he tried to give me half-assed advice and sympathy. The damn wolf was trying to get out so I opened my door. He ran off and headed off behind the building. My first thought was to leave the damn thing here and let it fend for itself, but deep down, I still believed I would find my girls one day and Stormi would kick my ass from here to nine Sundays if I let anything happen to him. I huffed and walking around to find him. I found him taking a crap in the weeds so I turned away to let him do his thing. A few minutes later he came trotting up to me. We headed back to my truck where he jumped straight in and laid across the seat. He turned and gave me a look of "Are we going or not?" I shook my head and climbed in. We pulled out and carried on...**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters. All character rights belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC!**

 **This is the first real fan fiction I have ever written. I originally posted it on Wattpad but after discovering the site, I decided to publish it here as well. Be sure to let me know what you guys think, but try not to be too harsh. I'm still learning. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Six:**

 **~One Month Later~**

 **Stormi's POV**

 **My arrow made a sickening sound as I snatched it out of the geek's skull. Bits of brain-mush and skull were stuck to it. I pulled the scrap of cloth from my back pocket and cleaned it off as best I could. Cheyenne was doing the same off to one side. She tossed the gory rag to the side as I did the same. We both sighed and started packing our few things. We shouldered the bags and carried them to my Charger. After a month of endless driving and geeks, it wasn't so shiny anymore and I had been forced to raid a few auto parts stores to fix a few malfunctions. We had been camping around the edges of Atlanta for a few weeks now, hoping Daryl would stay close looking for us...but he never appeared. It was time to move on, I guess. Especially with the geek attacks becoming more frequent. We had heard shots ring out in the distance earlier and all the geeks had turned towards the sound. A small group had stumbled upon our small shelter and we had been forced to deal with them. We had raided pretty much everything in a six blocks radius and now my trunk and backseat were full of supplies, food, and weapons. The tank was full of siphoned gas. Chey climbed in the front seat silently and buckled up. I climbed in and did the same. I was worried about my baby girl. She had been heartbroken the first few days since we were separated from Daryl and Mikhail, then she had suddenly becoming very quiet and reserved. She did everything almost automatically now. She hadn't even cried or whimpered in over two weeks. I didn't want to lose my lil' girl altogether. I sighed again and started the Charger. It roared to life and I pulled out onto the street and began heading out of town. As we headed out onto the bypass, I stopped to listen. Even Chey tilted her head to hear. That was the unmistakable wail of a car alarm and it was getting closer. Someone breathing was moving our way.**

 **I was still parked when a fire engine red newer model Camaro blazed past us, alarm still screaming, with a whooping Asian kid behind the wheel. Not far behind him, a box van was following closely. I looked over at Chey curiously. She was nibbling at her lip just like I do. A moment later she nodded and I turned to follow the small convoy. I stayed far enough back that I could just follow the box van, but they wouldn't realize I was following for a while. Our line of cars wound up along the mountain roads and soon up a small broken trail. I slowed to a crawl. I heard the screaming alarm stop. I could see a camp through the trees. I saw an older man and what appeared to be a cop berating the young Asian kid as another guy in a mechanic shirt shut off the alarm. The kid hung his head as the van rolled to a stop. A woman with a boy about Chey's age were standing to one side as the van opened to release a small group of people, including another guy in a cop uniform. The boy and woman looked depressed until the second cop rounded the side of the van. From here, I could hear the boy scream "DAD!" and rush the man. The woman looked terrified for a moment before she too began crying and rushed him. They dropped to the ground in a group hug. The other cop guy looked shell shocked and pissed at the same time. He hid it quickly as he greeted the other man while a young blonde rushed to an older blonde exiting the van. I decided to press our luck and make our presence known. I pulled my Charger up behind and to the side of the van. I could hear the older man talking about stripping the Camaro for parts for an RV. Suddenly every voice went silent and every head turned our way as the nose of my Charger pulled around the van. I shut it off and motioned for Chey to freeze as the pissy looking cop snatched out a pistol. The family cop stood and peered through the glare on my windshield. He placed his hand on the other cop's gun.**

 **"It's just a woman and little girl..." he said, calmly and just barely loud enough for my sensitive ears to hear. He turned back to me and the older gentleman with a white walked slowly around to the front of my car between us and the gun. He smiled warmly and beckoned us out.**

 **I whispered to Chey and she climbed over the gearshift to slide out and hide half behind me. I kept my hands behind my back, one on her hands tucked into the back of my belt and one on the grip of the .40 cal pistol tucked between her hands. I was wary.**

 **"It's okay, dear. No one is going to hurt you. We are just surprised to have unexpected visitors." said the kind old man. He glanced at the pissy cop who finally put away the gun although he didn't seem happy about it.**

 **I relaxed ever so slightly and people started smiling. Slowly, everyone began introducing themselves.**

 **The kind old man was Dale. The two blondes were sisters named Amy and Andrea. The mechanic was Jim and the Asian kid was a Korean named Glenn. Glenn drooled, literally, over my Charger even in the condition it was in. He asked where I found it and seemed shocked that I actually owned it. He didn't seem to believe me until I showed him the registration papers and my license. He seemed even more impressed if that was possible. The reunited family was Rick Grimes, his wife Lori, and his son Carl. Carl asked Chey how old she was. She told him and he became ecstatic that they were the same age. Pissy cop was named Shane. He and Rick had worked in the same station and had been best friends before the Fall as I was starting to think of it. Rick told me about him being shot and waking up from a coma to all of this. He thanked Shane for caring for his family. Shane looked uncomfortable and kept glancing at Lori from the corner of his eye. All I could think was that Shane had been caring for Lori, alright. It was so obvious, I didn't know how Rick couldn't see it right away, but it wasn't my place so I left it alone. The bald black guy introduced himself as Theodore Douglas...better known by everyone as T-Dog. Chey giggled at that. A slender black woman was Jacque pronounced like Jackie. An older looking woman introduced herself and her family as Carol, her daughter Sophia, and her husband, Ed.**

 **Ed just looked white trash to me, and the way Carol and Sophia tiptoed around him confirmed my gut feeling. I felt my chest tighten. If I ever caught him doing it, I may not be able to control myself, thanks to what my own father did.**

 **I mentally shook myself out of my daze as the Hispanic man introduced himself as Morales and his family. Everyone else kind of blended together after that. I told everyone that my name was Stormi and my daughter was Cheyenne or Chey for short. I was bombarded with pleasantries then Carl asked if Chey wanted to come play with him and Sophia. I looked at her. She was hesitant but nodded. I bent where we could kiss each other's cheek then she started walking away. I started to follow the other adults when I spotted Jim reaching for the hood latch of my car.**

 **"Hey! Hands off!" I yelled, snatching him by the shirt and throwing his small frame to the ground away from my car. Shane yelled and snatched his gun back up. I had mine out quicker and trained between his eyes. Chey immediately returned to me. I saw her begin inching down the passenger side where her bow was just inside the open window. I held my open hand to her and she froze, hand inside the window.**

 **"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it! Hold it!" yelled Dale and Rick, both jumping between the two guns. Jim lay where I had thrown him, hands up in surrender.**

 **"What is going on?!" asked Rick.**

 **Dale turned to Jim. "Jim, what did you think you were doing? You can't just go messing with vehicles that lawfully belong to someone living." he scolded.**

 **"I'm sorry. I just wanted to look. I didn't mean no harm." Jim sounded as if he were going to start crying any second.**

 **Dale turned to me. "We apologize very strongly. He shouldn't have messed with your vehicle without asking first. Please...let's all relax and put this behind us. You are welcome to stay. We have plenty of room for tents and in the RV. Although I must ask if you have any provisions you could possibly share?" he said soothingly.**

 **I waited until Rick finally took the gun away from Shane before Chey and I relaxed. I sent her off to play and dug around in my trunk. Jim finally got up and brushed himself off before wandering off. I drug an extra box of canned goods from the back of my trunk and passed it to Dale who smiled and passed it to carol and Lori who seemed excited by some of the choices. I shut the trunk and followed Dale as he began showing me around the camp. I noticed tension amongst the group who had just returned to the camp. I wondered what that was about but shrugged it off. Tucked way off in a corner was an old blue Ford that looked a little too familiar but neither of the Dixon boys, nor my beloved wolf were anywhere in sight in the small camp. I couldn't even see a motorcycle in sight. My chest pulse with the all too familiar now dull ache as I finally returned to my car and gathered supplies. I set up my tent in the small stand of trees that my car was parked under.**

 **Later that night, we all sat around a couple of low fires and laughed and talked. After a brief argument between Shane and Ed, everyone was quiet for a bit. Dale began telling a story about his watch and time, and I soon realized Chey had fallen sound asleep with her head in my lap. I excused us and lifted her into my arms, carrying her back to our tent. Just before I slipped out of hearing range, I swore I heard someone say Dixon and something about chained to a roof. I stopped cold but the voices dropped too low for my ears from this distance. I stood for a moment, but decided not to get my hopes up only to be destroyed all over again. I carried Chey into our tent and tucked her into her sleeping bag. She curled in on herself and slept on. I sat for a while, watching her sleep soundly for the first time since the cabin in the meadow. She had run and played all day, laughing and smiling again, finally. I smiled, remembering her laughter. Soon, however, I sighed and stretched out on the floor of the tent itself, unzipping my sleeping bag and laying it over me like a blanket. I laid my bow at my side, arrow notched and ready to fire, should anyone attempt to enter uninvited. I lay down and curled my arm around Chey and finally drifted off to dreams of a laughing dark-haired girl playing with a carefree wolf in a big meadow and the clear icy blue eyes of a redneck Georgia boy.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters. All character rights belong to Robert Kirkman and AMC!**

 **This is the first real fan fiction I have ever written. I originally posted it on Wattpad but after discovering the site, I decided to publish it here as well. Be sure to let me know what you guys think, but try not to be too harsh. I'm still learning. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 7:**

 **Stormi POV:**

 **The next morning, Chey and I rose together and exited the tent each with a change of clothes, a towel, a bottle of soap, and our bows. Carol was already up and doing laundry so I asked where we could bathe. She pointed off to one side and sent us down a long trail to a small quarry lake full of clear blue water and surrounded by high natural walls. Chey and I stripped down behind some boulders and slipped into the water. It was chilly but we were soon bathed and playing, splashing water at each other for a while before drying and dressing.**

 **We were sitting in the sun, enjoying the warmth and quiet, when suddenly, we could hear shouting echoing from the camp. Chey and I glanced at each other and stood. We waited for a moment, listening, but the tone of the shouting was angry instead of panicked. Chey glanced at me and I just shrugged. Likely just an argument and none of our concern. We sat back down on the bank and chatted.**

 **Daryl POV:**

 **I crouched and lined up my crossbow sights carefully with the deer gnawing on a scrubby bush just ahead. That damn wolf had wandered off to hunt on his own about 20 minutes ago. I knew he never went very far and would always come back before I headed back to camp, but I prayed he didn't pop up and startle the deer. It may be scrawny but the camp needed all the meat they could get. Merle may want to leave them to fend for themselves, but I knew they were all useless at hunting. Something in me just wouldn't let them starve.**

 **I squeezed the trigger just as Mikhail's furry ass slipped out of the brush to my right. The deer turned to bolt and instead of the arrow striking it dead in the chest and killing it instantly, it sunk deep into its left side. It would still kill it, but now I was gonna have to chase the damn thing down. I swore colorfully at Mikhail while watching the deer disappear. He just huffed at me and followed as I wandered over to find the blood trail.**

 **The trail led back in the direction of camp and I had been following it for about 30 minutes when I began hearing what sounded like kids screaming somewhere ahead of me. It was coming from the direction of camp so I picked up my pace, it soon stopped. I slowed up and started moving more carefully and reloading. I finally reached a break through the tree line to find half of the camp and some new guy crowded around my deer and a dead geek.**

 **I ranted for a moment about the geek getting my deer and kicked its decapitated body a few times for effect. I made a joke about cutting around the chewed-up bits but apparently, they didn't find it funny. I was turning towards camp when I noticed the geek's head was still moving. I scoffed.**

" **Come on, people… It's gotta be the head!" I said, firing an arrow through its eye socket. I snatched my arrows out of the deer and the head and headed into the camp, shouting for Merle to come help me clean the string of squirrels I had gotten. He didn't answer, but Officer Dickhead Shane behind me did. He said they needed to talk to me about Merle. I just stopped and asked if he was dead. The new guy said he didn't think so. I said he either was or he wasn't. When he said he left my brother handcuffed to a roof in Atlanta, I saw red for a minute. I lunged for him, and Shane intercepted me. We ended up in a tussle that was quickly ended by a snarling rush from Mikhail. Shane released me quickly and we both stepped back.**

" **Just tell me where he is…so I can go get him…," I panted. The new guy said they were already putting together a rescue plan and team. T-Dog said he had dropped the key to the cuffs down a drain pipe, but he had chained the roof door to keep the geeks from getting to him. I scoffed again and grabbed my string of squirrels and the knife I had dropped in the scuffle. I whistled to Mikhail and headed over to my truck off to one side. We got almost to my truck when that wolf suddenly started going absolutely batshit crazy and tore off, nearly knocking me down in the process.**

" **What the hell…," I turned to see what had gotten into him and froze. He was whining and barking and jumping up against the side of a black older model Charger parked half hidden under a small group of trees near the RV. I dropped the squirrels and started towards the car. There was no one inside it or the small tent nearby. Dale happened to be passing by. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt.**

" **Hey! What are you…!" he spluttered but I caught him off sharply. I pointed at the Charger.**

" **Who is in that car?!" I snapped.**

" **A young woman and her daughter They followed Glenn and the others back from Atlanta yesterday." He said calmly, attempting to detach my fingers. I let go.**

" **What are their names?" I asked. My chest felt like it was about to explode with all the hope I had been losing.**

" **Stormi and I believe the little one's name was Cheyenne." He said. The breath I didn't realize I had been holding left my chest in a rush.**

" **Where are they?!" I snapped, grabbing him by the shirt again, this time with both hands and shaking him.**

" **I don't know! I haven't seen them all morning!" he yelped. I was about to shake him again when timid little Carol, who had been hovering off to one side with a stack of folded laundry piped up.**

" **If you are looking for Stormi and Chey, they asked me this morning about a bath. I sent them down to the quarry. I haven't seen them come back yet, so they may still be down there." She said quietly, blushing at having our attention focused on her.**

 **I dropped Dale and tore off towards the quarry trail as fast as my legs would carry me with Mikhail at my heels, leaving a dumbfounded Dale and Carol staring after us.**


	8. Author's Note

Author's Note:

Hey, you guys! I know it has been a while since I have updated What Now? A Daryl Dixon Story. Real life has been hectic due to college and job/car searching and on top of it all, my Microsoft Word screwed up royally , deleting everything, and I just got it back working again. I am going to try my hardest to get some more updates coming soon. I lost a lot of what I had already written so please be patient with me as I try to get everything rewritten in between classwork. I have not forgotten not abandoned this, I swear!

Peace and love,

lilalpha


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